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Easter in Ibiza is a fantastic time of year to visit, it’s warm, quieter and much more laid back than the summer months. Just perfect for exploring and recharging those batteries after the cold damp and dreary winter months.

Easter 2017 falls right in the middle of April. This is when the island starts to come alive and although there is less open than at the height of summer its really worth going as you find another beauty to the island often missed by people during the summer months.

Easter in Ibiza is also a very important time for the catholic church across Spain and you will find religious parades taking place across the island. The streets of Ibiza are decorated with flowers and crosses with bearers carrying large ornate religious statues through the streets. Some complete their outfits with tall hoods called capirotes. These are worn to hide the bearer’s sombre reflection of their own sins.

The big event on Good Friday sees all the cofradias, who are charged with taking care of the statues, take part in one big procession from the Cathedral (Dalt Vila) mid evening. This is a great religious and cultural spectacle to see.

Getting to Ibiza for Easter
Only Ryanair and British Airways are operating direct flights from the UK around Easter but as the prices are so low it is worth looking at connecting flights either via Barcelona or Palma. It does take a little longer but well worth it to enjoy the paradise of Ibiza.

For example, you can find flights to Barcelona for £34 each way from the UK and an onward flight to Ibiza for less than €20 so all in for £50 each way is a bargain price.

What to do
This is the big one and we have to admit it can be a little surreal walking through the major resorts with many premises still boarded up not yet ready for the summer but away from the obvious holiday hotspots there is still a lot to do and find.

The beaches are all open and quiet with an average daily temperature of 19 – 22c its perfect for sunbathing and relaxing. Swimming is possible, it is a little “fresh” but you will see many of the locals taking a dip and one your in its fine.

A top tip is to take your own food and drink as not all of the beach bars and restaurants will be open and we have found it is a little hit and miss at the start of the season.

Exploring the island is fantastic the roads are quiet and walks, cycling are much more pleasant when it’s not so hot as it is in the summer. We have enjoyed some great coastal walks and visiting Las Dalias Hippy Market around easter was much more pleasurable than the summer, not as busy or as hot.

Read here for more on walking and cycling in Ibiza.The stunning Ibiza countryside great for exploring
Water sports there is very little available but we have been paddle boarding in April with SUP Boat Ibiza which was fantastic. There were a lot less boats blasting past and with the added fear of falling in the “fresh” waters we really got our technique down to a fine art.

Paddle Boarding in Ibiza a great activity for the whole family
Paddle Boarding in Ibiza a great activity for the whole family
Ibiza town is open as it is all year round with the cafe restaurants and shops bustling and again it’s great to explore the old town and Dalt Villa around this time as the walk to the top is a much less sweaty affair or for those of you wanting something more taxing why not try Escape Rooms.

San Antonio is just coming to life with many of the local restaurants opening for longer than the winter months, we recommend checking out Tapas Ibiza, Relish, Ritas Cantina to name but a few.

Surf Lounge is usually open at weekends in April with their artificial wave machine running which is great to have a go on or just to watch either way it is pure entertainment and suitable for all ages.

Youngest riding the wave at Surf Lounge Ibiza
Our youngest riding the wave at Surf Lounge Ibiza
Nightlife
Easter in Ibiza is not as livley as the summer but a few of the West End bars do seem to open earlier and earlier each year mainly catering for the first summer workers arriving It’s always a great evening out at bars like the Fish Ibiza or the Social in San Antonio.

Mint Lounge and Cafe del Mar will be open for those who wish to enjoy the sunset strip although a top tip is to take a jacket as when the sun goes down the temperature does drop significantly compared to the summer.

For those who are looking for a good party Pacha in Ibiza town is open at weekends and in 2016 opened for 5 nights over the Easter period so it’s well worth checking out if you want to dance the night away.

Overall visiting Ibiza at Easter is fantastic, the islands true beauty really does shine through, it forces you to explore a little more with less open but this is no bad thing and you will find some hidden gems you never knew existed.

Everywhere just seems more relaxed and the pace of life is so much slower with the locals preparing for the madness of summer and early summer workers arriving day by day.

It won’t suit those who are looking for a pure clubbing holiday but if you want a relaxed unhurried few days away, Easter in Ibiza is just perfect.

Ibiza’s secret beaches: It’s not just the bars and clubs which get rammed in the party island’s high season, many of the beaches are packed too. To find a peaceful spot away from the madness, try one of these hidden gems from Secret Beaches: Ibiza

Cala Llentrisca beach,

Cala Llentrisca

In the middle of the crescent-shaped Cala Llentrisca sits a rickety old timber jetty protruding out into the bay that makes a perfect diving platform. This slim stretch of beach can be enjoyed in full sunshine until late in the afternoon and will often be deserted. The waters here are so blue that they colour the sand and sea grass with a subtle fluorescence, something that makes a vivid impression when you see this cove for the first time. Cala Llentrisca is a place that invites repose and reflection, with only the fishing boats bobbing far out to sea offering much in the way of distraction. Keep a sleepy eye on them as they make their lazy journeys home – some of them are stowed away by their owners in the little shacks lining the back of the beach.

Pitstop Es Cubells is a small village nestled among the orange, lemon and olive groves on precipitous terraces. Occupying an enviable location on the uppermost terrace, Bar Llumbi‘s uninterrupted view across to Formentera is almost as compelling as the typically Spanish menu. You’ll find all the usual suspects here – fresh fish, paella, copious salads – and the quick, friendly service means you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the extraordinary vista over your coffee. • +34 971 802128 Further information, directions and map

Cala Tarida

Hidden among the rocks and cliffs, away from the sprawling tourist hotels that encircle the white sands of Cala Tarida, are several tiny little coves, one of which can be enjoyed only by those willing to get their feet wet. With perfect southerly aspects, these beaches are picture-postcard locations where pure unpolluted waters reflect the sun, making the entire scene resemble the interior of a giant bottle of Bombay Sapphire. Given the popularity of these spots, they are usually occupied by locals brazenly sunbathing in their birthday suits, but they still seem a world away from the crowded main beach in high summer.

Pitstop There are plenty of restaurants serving higher quality food in or around Cala Tarida but Ses Eufabies, family owned and run, occupies by far the best position. The entire restaurant has been built atop a vast rock in the middle of the beach with its dining terraces cut directly into the stone, making it feel as though you have hardly left the sand. The menu is typical beach cafe fare: cheap and cheerful with a couple of fresh grilled fish thrown in among the burgers and hot dogs. Book a table here for lunch and you’ll have a base for the afternoon from which to survey the comings and goings all about you. Try to stay for the sunset as the westerly orientation means incredible views out to sea. • +34 971 806328 Further information, directions and map

Es Portitxol

Ibiza‘s natural beauty is present in all its glory at this perfect teardrop-shaped beach, dramatically sliced from the cliffs to form a natural harbour of translucent azure water. You reach this tiny stretch of protected shoreline by descending a precarious, rickety path, which adds to the thrill of the location. Once there, it is easy to understand why the beach is so important to local fishermen, who use it as a social focal point as well as a place to store and launch their boats. Our recommended access to the bay allows you to experience the historical rhythm of the island’s spellbinding coast by following the same route used by fishermen, pirates and invaders for hundreds of years. Like them, you’ll be rewarded with incredible views of cliffs plunging into fathomless cerulean waters.

Pitstop Ignore the deceptively residential frontage, Can Cires opens up to reveal a wonderfully atmospheric alfresco dining area. The place is run by an eccentric owner who likes to wander around with a parrot on his shoulder. He’s from Alsace and his Gallic roots are well in evidence, from the house speciality – a thin and crispy tarte flambée – to the outdoor pétanque area. The interior is decorated with a restored classic French motorbike and large print photographs of the island’s coastline. The wine list includes an Alsace Gewurztraminer and as many as seven Ibicenco riojas and crianzas. • +34 971 805551, cancires.comFurther information, directions and map

Cala Llentia

The distinctive uninhabited island of Es Vedrà is framed behind the craggy cliffs that overhang this small bay. Cala Llentia is known to a few locals as a place to escape the madness that takes over the island during the high season. The slightly tricky access will put off any fair weather explorers, but those that do make the effort will always find somewhere to lie and enjoy the tranquility.

Pitstop It’s a short stroll over the headland to the classic Ibiza chiringuito at Cala Codolar, and it’s a lively contrast to the sandy solitude of Cala Llentia. First set up in 1974 and still owned and run by the same Ibicencan local, it is the type of simple wooden shack that is rarely seen today. Before beach bars and restaurants became ubiquitous, nearly every beach on the island had one or two chiringuitos like this one. They would be set up to serve drinks and simple snacks during the summer months, before being dismantled and taken away at the end of each season. Perhaps their days are numbered, but thanks to the restrictive building laws protecting Cala Codolar, this one is safe for the time being. Bog-standard plastic chairs and tables are shaded by promotional parasols giving the bar an unpretentious, friendly atmosphere. • No telephone Further information, directions and map

Cala Llarga

Cala Llarga is the most southerly beach on Ibiza, and one of the most perfectly formed. A deep pebbled area, linking the shoreline to the woodland of Punta de la Rama, stretches out behind you while you contemplate the views. And as with many of Ibiza’s secret beaches, there is a springy mattress of dried sea grass along the foreshore to keep you comfortable while you snooze. For those in search of more energetic activities, the rocks and platforms lining the bay are so perfect for diving and jumping that they could have been specifically designed for just that purpose. Our chosen approach is equally spectacular, taking you south along the coast from Ses Salines beach and over the headland to enjoy some distant views of Formentera and the satellite islands of s’Espalmador and s’Espardell.

Pitstop Set back slightly from the actual beach, Can Masia is a welcome alternative to the sandy dancefloors of the identikit beach bars at nearby Ses Salines beach. As a result, the bougainvillea-shaded terrace gets packed out with locals seeking shelter from the midday sun. The cooking is simple, constantly changing and marked up on the chalkboard. A menú del día is a generous and reasonably priced option, however it won’t feature some of the more interesting à la carte offerings such as jellied octopus. • +34 697 457082Further information, directions and map

Agua Blanca

Discovering Agua Blanca’s secret satellite beach will require a short swim or a wade through gin-clear Mediterranean waters to a world of stone stacks and rune-like shells. This is a particularly calm and peaceful place, where the sound of waves drumming into miniature caves will lull you into a peaceful siesta. Just make sure you save enough energy for that watery stroll to the chiringuito for lunch or cocktails.

Pitstop Once a chiringuito shack selling cold drinks and snacks to a small crowd of tourists, Restaurante Aguas Blancas has grown gradually over the years, with a little bit of timber here and a few planks of decking there, into today’s fully fledged beach restaurant. Thankfully, it hasn’t lost the charm and friendly welcome that has always marked it out, and the menu is still all-encompassing and uncommonly reasonable. Early birds should come here for a coffee (and or night owls for a nightcap) at sunrise – the blankets of warm colour as the sun appears are spectacular, arguably one of the most impressive sights on the island. • +34 971 326862 Further information, directions and map